(Uncle Edward’s trunk under Grandma’s buffet)
Edward Louis Merrell (22 August 1927-20 March 1932)
We all had heard gruesome tales of how Grandma had saved the clothes Uncle Edward burned up in inside this trunk along with the metal toy cars at the center of the tragedy. The three female cousins cleaning out the old family farmhouse this sweltering July day nearly 80 years later held their breath as Andy, daughter of Virginia, lifted the latches and gently opened the trunk.
The first item to jump out was the little hat. Was it really part of the outfit little Edward was wearing that chilly March morning? Underneath it was a navy blue sweater. Neither showed any burns, however. So far, the rumor may or may not have been true. This was just the top drawer of the trunk.
The next prominent item was the blue cardboard box in the center. Andy lifted the lid carefully since one side was obviously disintegrating with age. Inside two small books were stored: a rectangular, white one “Mother’s Baby” and a rectangular, pink one “Pictures of Our Baby.” |